New Anglia Innovation Board
Minutes
Thursday 14th September 2023 14:00-16:00
MS Teams
Invited:
1
Welcome from the Chair – Introductions, Apologies & Minutes
- Approved the previous Minutes from the 10th July Innovation Board meeting.
2
Draft Innovate UK Local Action Plan for Norfolk and Suffolk
(Draft plan has been circulated with the board papers for review):
Julian Munson, New Anglia LEP:
- We are delighted Innovate UK have agreed to develop a Local Innovation Action Plan with Norfolk and
Suffolk following Indro Mukherjee’s visit to Adastral Park earlier in the year.
- Innovate UK have agreed and are in the process of developing Local Acton Plans with several UK
regions.
Johnathan Reynolds (Chair)
Julian Munson
James Allen
Scott Cogman
Ian Pease
David Taitt
Julie Schofield
Prof. Darryl Newport
Lisa Perkins
Prof. Mohammad Dastbaz
Jon Rees
Howard Partridge
Peter Brady
Laura Hill
Nicolette Jeffreys
Apologies:
Nick Goodwin
Jai Raithatha
Sarah Steed
Gary Jennings
Tim Green
Board Member
Head of Enterprise Zones and Innovation
Innovation & Sectors Manager
Innovation Hubs Coordinator
Business Development Manager
Chair
Head of Business Partnerships
Professor – Energy & Sustainable
Development
Adastral Park & Research Realisation
Director
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Principal Oceanographer
Regional Manager
Chief Executive Officer
Innovation Mentoring Project Manager
Clean Growth Manager
Chief Operating Officer
Head of Economic Development
Director of Innovation and Engagement
Innovation Director
COO
New Anglia LEP
New Anglia LEP
New Anglia LEP
New Anglia LEP
OrbisEnergy
Hethel Innovation
University of East Anglia
University of Suffolk
BT
University of Suffolk
Cefas
Innovate UK
Innovation Labs
Norfolk County Council
New Anglia LEP
Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP
Suffolk County Council
Norwich University of the Arts
Oxford Innovation
Cefas
- Focus on key opportunities such as Norwich Research Park, Adastral Park and wider clusters and
partners across the region.
- Seeking Innovation Board comments on the first draft of the Action Plan.
- Still some work to be done and more content to be added at this stage from the LEP perspective.
- Going to be presented to the LEP Board in October and needs partner sign off before this date.
- Looking to include a graphic to represent the research elements rather than just one or two case
studies that showcase the levels of investment secured.
- ACTION: Where is this data stored – Howard to follow up with Innovate UK and UKRI team.
Howard Partridge, Innovate UK:
- The Action Plans were brought about and introduced in part as a response to devolution from Innovate
UK
- To date, Local Innovation Action Plans have been agreed with Mayoral Combined Authorities outside of
the Greater Southeast. This Action Plan should underline the fact that this region remains important.
- It is a commitment to closer working relationships between Innovate UK and wider Innovate UK family
with the region’s key partners and sites.
- This is a well-structured and well-functioning Innovation Board. The Connected Innovation Programme
is doing a great job of connecting the dots in the local innovation ecosystem.
- Monitor progress against the numbers / statistics that make a difference to the region.
- Visits planned for Indro Mukerjee to both Norwich Research Park and Adastral Park later this year as
part of the Action Plan work.
- 5th December date pencilled in for the launch at Adastral Park – working with Innovate UK and BT event
teams.
- Keen to ensure LEP and Innovate UK timelines are aligned around the Action Plan.
- We cannot include certain financial asks in the document.
- Modify wording to reflect the Innovate UK Innovation Hub - https://ukinnovationhub.ukri.org/. Drop
the word ‘new’.
- Is it wider R&D spending statistics that we want to include and not just UKRI / Innovate UK.
- How do we reflect that we have our programmes for initial engagement – Connected Innovation etc.
Julie Schofield, UEA
- As a document it really does give us a strong stake from a regional perspective.
- It will also give us something to connect to when we are applying for Innovate UK funding calls and
wider funding calls.
- The document shows the regional connectivity and how this aligns at a national level and showcases
the initiatives that we are working on.
- Pleased that it is being bold and ambitious – definitely needed in the current state of play.
- CellExcel an example of a spinout that could be included as a case study.
- Look at ecosystems that are formed around the research being done by institutes. Businesses now
being set up and run by recent graduates.
- UEA have a KTP shortlisted for a national award with Geo Acoustics around modelling the seabed.
Lisa Perkins, BT
- Need additional time to respond and feedback on this as have not had enough time to read thoroughly.
- The document needs to be more specific in terms of the things we want to land as part of the Action
Plan.
- Would like to see initiatives included that could be established in the future – without required
commitment at this stage.
- Showcase a sign of intent moving forward to collaborate – and use examples of that.
Mohammad Dastbaz, UOS
- Ideas and concept behind it are what were discussed with Indro Mukerjee at the Digitech Centre
- The document showcases the great work between industry and academia
- What is the timeline for this – what else could be fed in from the UOS to showcase the level of
collaboration.
Julian Munson,
- COB 22nd September final deadline for comments and feedback to be added.
Johnathan Reynolds, Chair
- Could a word version be circulated to members for comment?
- ACTION – Share Action Plan document again.
- Important to recognise the transition that is happening in the background and the future of this
document.
- Wants to see local principles being matched with national Innovate UK principles. Ie. Feed the world,
connect the world and power the world.
- Needs more visuals including the map – Connected Innovation and assets.
- How do we frame the wider research part and connections with UKRI.
- See this as a small part of a wider research piece with the academics in the region.
- Really important given our research institutions in the region – that we include and reference them.
- We have brilliant world-class research to showcase taking place in the region and there is a need to
reference this and highlight how we can drive forward commercialisation of this research.
- Look to weave in how we have collaborated ‘beyond our borders’ with wider partners.
Peter Brady, Innovation Labs Group & Orbital Group
- Good document and well-constructed given the discussions happening across the Council for Digital
Tech.
- Keen to see a focus on the communications and inspiration piece – so pleased that this has been
included.
- This will be beneficial for Inward Investment and attracting skills – to promote what we have here.
- Rewarding part of his role is seeing businesses use technology and see them widen their ambitions in
terms of what they can achieve.
- Orbital Group benefitted massively from the KTP programmes – critical part of the Innovate UK
offering.
- Keen to highlight the value of these and the long term benefits they bring. Relationship with academia
locally has been immensely valuable.
- Lucky to have University of Essex on our doorstep as No.1 for KTPs in the country, alongside the great
opportunities with our own universities.
- Update the case study section – as it has been changed from the version currently circulated.
- Commercialisation piece critical and relationships with academics has been valuable and has produced
spin outs. Funded by three different research council in one instance.
- Showcase events held in Essex that celebrate KTPs – could be an example to roll out in our region.
- Coderus another local example from Council for Digital Tech – speak volumes for the collaboration that
is available and what can be achieved.
- Innovation Grant Mentoring Project (IGMP) is critical and is used by several Innovation Labs businesses
and is very important to the region.
- We have an important VR pain therapy technology born out of an EIRA project with UEA. It would be
good to showcase this programme and its successes.
Jon Rees, Cefas
- Add comment on the entry back into Horizon Europe and Copernicus.
3
Future of the New Anglia Innovation Board
Johnathan Reynolds, Chair
- Draft of integration plans shared with LEP Board for discussion next week.
- Proposal to continue with the two-county model for the Innovation Board – with team hosted /
retained in one ‘body’.
- The agency model or partnership model is yet to be explored at the county level in the integration
plans so far – therefore, all options are on the table regarding this.
- This has been done and explored in other parts of the country, with innovation partnerships and
agencies emerging from devolution conversations.
- Influence of this board has been far greater than we can think / imagine in terms of driving innovation
and growth in the region.
- Keen to see a 3–5-year delivery programme – with yearly outputs and targets in terms of key delivery.
- Conscious of the changing landscape beyond just county deals, devolution etc. General elections will
happen in the next 18 months.
- Do not want to go backward on what we have achieved in terms of initiatives like Connected
Innovation.
- Alternative models are being approached and considered in different parts of the UK regarding
devolution, county deals and LEP transition.
- What do we want the future of this board to look like?
Julian Munson,
- Is there an opportunity to discuss an even greater level of integration in the future. Could it be an
agency that provides one point of contact – with relationships with all key stakeholders across the
network.
- This would drive more partners into the Connected Innovation project – including our colleges for
example where a great deal of exciting activity is taking place.
- How do we plan longer term beyond March 2025 around the continued growth and success of the
network.
Peter Brady, Innovation Labs Group & Orbital Global
- Real strength in this board and the two counties working together strategically and the impact this
delivers to innovation and research.
- Strategic innovation board is needed to connect the dots across both counties.
- On the ground delivery can happen at a county level with the strategic oversight from the Innovation
Board.
Lisa Perkins, BT
- Would want to see the board continued.
- Inception of a refreshed board – strategy sessions held for each upcoming year the two or three key
interventions that we will collaborate on.
- Frustration in that the discussion of opportunities that we all agree on but struggle to apply ourselves
or find time to ‘land’.
- Purpose of ‘landing’ something incremental to the work already being done.
- Keen to align ambitions of Adastral Park with the support of the Innovation Board members.
- How do we continue to collaborate moving forward to deliver the most impact and ‘double down’ on
that.
Howard Partridge, Innovate UK
- Critical mass is a key benefit of the board, and the action plan demonstrates that.
- The risk is that executive support provided by the LEP is lost in the transition in terms of the key
delivery on agreed actions.
David Taitt, Hethel Innovation
- Board is great for communication and updates.
- Concern is that where the board is not aligned with budget and decision-making processes at both a
high level and member level.
- Dealing with two different organisations in Norfolk and Suffolk County Council moving forward.
- Don’t throw in the towel – but think about how we operate in the new environment.
ACTION: Julian, Peter and Johnathan to arrange a meeting to consider and discuss key points/feedback from
today’s discussion.
4
Member Updates
Mohammad Dastbaz, UOS
- Appointed new dean of technology Prof. Stuart Horner (Uni of Chichester) over 60 quals in the areas of
photonics.
- Joining on 2nd of October.
- SEEDS conference hosted – very successful – 9th conference held overall– 120 global delegates
attended with very good discussions around sustainability and the role of AI.
- Taking forward UN Sustainability Goals further.
- New university centre in Great Yarmouth ‘The Place’ – completion planned October 2024. Health,
engineering will be the focus of this project. Taken 2 and a half years to get to this point.
- Architects on site and building work happening.
- Working with Further Education partners to set up centre of excellence for apprenticeships in the
region. With the first being focused on health and launching in the next few weeks. Recruiting in
January 2024.
- Dentistry Hub to open next month – all equipment in place and services to deliver to the community
next month and courses delivered from January 2024.
David Taitt, Hethel Innovation
- All previous updates going ahead.
- Standard Gas plans for relocation into one of the Hangars to investigate energy production from waste.
- Alice Reeve is leaving as CEO to take a new role linked to Nottingham University to develop a similar
model and centre as Hethel.
- Recruitment has now started to fill this position.
Ian Pease, OrbisEnergy, SCC
- Launch Academy (ORE Catapult) continues at a pace with 9 companies – midterm event on the 28th
Sept in Colchester. Graduation in December and likely to be hosted in Suffolk.
- O&M Briefing on the 27th Sept
- 7th September – Innovation Labs pop up held with a steady flow of people coming through the door.
- 15 years of OrbisEnergy in October – will be celebrated later this year.
- Funding bid submitted for 5GIR bid - £3.8m bid.
- Following a call for project ideas, Suffolk County Council (SCC) are the lead partner in a £3.8m regional
bid for the 5GIR Fund. SCC have developed an application, in partnership with UoS Digitech, and the
wider partnership, for a project which uses existing 5G infrastructure/connectivity investment to
deliver a hub/ virtual platform (twin) for safe, secure delivery of virtual public services across Norfolk
and Suffolk.
- The fund sought projects of substantial regional impact and a partnership has been established
involving Suffolk and Norfolk County Councils, Suffolk Chamber, UoS, New Anglia LEP (Space East), the
Space Applications Catapult to lead on drawing up and submitting a bid.
- The project will utilise the LoRaWAN infrastructure across the county and transform public service
delivery for collective benefit through virtual services.
- Announcement due in November.
Jon Rees, Cefas
- Advertised and going to appoint a Data Champion to corral all data and programmes in the
organization.
- East MEE – joining up all the silos in the marine environment – bringing together all sectors into one
organisation.
- Produce one report on the state of the environment each year.
- Annual conference planned – led by Bob Earl and Roger Proudfoot – Environment Agency.
- Alan Turing institute secondment ongoing – showing an exemplar model of working with another
agency / partners. Work is focused on identification of phytoplankton using Earth Observation.
Julie Schofield, UEA
- UEA celebrating 60th anniversary and launching civic charter in October.
- Fiona Lettice has departed at the end of August. Prof. Brian Reid is the new pro vice chancellor.
- New School of Computing head – Prof. Beatriz De La Iglesia.
- Design Council – hosting 17th / 18th October – first time they have come to the region to host the
conference.
- Lots of funding calls over the summer with a September deadline – lots of bids that are in and awaiting
decisions on.
- Challenging working up bids during periods when it is more difficult to link in with industry ie. Summer.
- 9th year of Sync City – hosted on the 23rd – 25th November in the centre of Norwich.
Laura Hill, Norfolk County Council
- IGMP – had a business IBoxit – based at Norwich Research Park – successfully bidded into Innovate UK
– case study here - https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23768625.iboxit-secures-nearly-1m-develop-
seafood-packaging/
- Keen to hear from more prospective businesses interested in innovation funding.
- Can provide support with bids, coaching and mentoring.
- Helped 4 business apply for grants last week.
- Another business working toward a Smart Grant.
- Information shared with the steering group but not with wider stakeholders at this stage.
- Presented to Creative East last week with Urban XR about the success they had with the programme
and securing Create Growth funding.
- Keen to share more information more publicly moving forward.
- Going into the third year of the project with an increased number of successes as it has developed.
- Increased awareness amongst businesses about the support and engaging with the programme.
- Plenty of case studies that can be promoted amongst board members and the network.
Nicolette Jeffreys, New Anglia
- Local industrial de-carbonisation bid decision due on Monday.
- 24th October – initial online briefing event for Clean Growth event.
- 30th November in person Clean Growth event – focused on the Agri supply chain – being planned.
- Speakers, panellists and a showcase to be included in the event.
- Keen for ideas from the member and networks on businesses who want to be involved.
- Focus will be on the agri-food supply chain – businesses do not need to be a solely agri-food business.
- More information will be shared on this too.
Lisa Perkins, BT
- Site is still a critical BT site despite recent news regarding staffing and redundancies.
- Will still be a key regional innovation hub too.
- Adastral vision is being developed – enhancing the ecosystem over and above what it looks like
currently and supported by the senior BT team.
- Keen to share this document with the board once it is developed.
- Keen to look to land the key initiatives within this with support from the board.
- BT Sustainability Festival held yesterday – 2,000 people attended. Large organisations sponsored and
exhibited alongside those from the BT / Innovation Martlesham cluster.
- Helped shine a spotlight on the capabilities of both BT and the region.
- Working with as many wider stakeholders as possible to lobby wider government to land initiatives at
Adastral Park.
- Follow up meeting held with Indro Mukerjee to build upon the work around the action plan.
- ACTION: To include Adastral Park vision on next IB agenda to discuss linkages with our innovation
ecosystem
Peter Brady, Innovation Labs Group & Orbital Group
- Good growth in members in recent months.
- Several different sites in the pipeline – must work with the Innovation Labs model.
- Later this year / early next year when these are likely to happen.
- Innovation and Skills Centre at Gateway 14 is moving ahead to the planning stage.
- Working with DWP and job centre for job seekers to join on a free basis for 6-8 weeks and can be
extended.
- Seeing good success with this and the programme. Looking at how it can be rolled out across the region
and now extending to students / school leavers.
- Assets developed to sit in the job centres to raise awareness.
- Business seeking funding who joined pre-Covid. Echo Pay been supported by the Innovation Labs, and
they have been referred to Anglia Capital Group.
- Proud of the success stories of the business that have scaled and grown with the support of the
Innovation Labs.
- Keen to continue to promote the IGMP programme and support the continuation of it going forward.
- Horizon bids – can also be supported by the programme.
4
New Anglia LEP Innovation Updates:
Julian Munson, Connected Innovation
- Sponsoring regional events through the Connected Innovation project –e.g.Sustainability Festival
yesterday, supported and attended by a number of the LEP teams.
- REAP Conference with Agri-Tech also being sponsored.
- UoS Gaming Cluster being supported through Connected Innovation funds to host 3 events across the
region with support from UEA and NUA.
- Conversation around the Gaming Cluster is being developed with the Council for Digital Tech too.
- Connected Innovation website screenshots shared by Scott Cogman.
Space East
- Space Enterprise Lab plans at Adastral Park – supported by East Suffolk Council, Suffolk County Council
working with the LEP and Satellite Applications Catapult – due to open later this year
- 79 members now in the cluster
- Supported the 5G bid with Suffolk County Council and partners
- Number of other funding opportunities being explored too.
Creative East
- 20 companies on the 2nd cohort which will be Suffolk focused.
- Investor Roundtable taking place with Innovate UK at UoS Innovation Labs on 19th September.
- 1st Cohort completed – great feedback received from the businesses taking part.
- New marketing agency, Yawn Marketing, has been appointed to promote the successes of cohorts 1
and 2, and work with the Creative East team to promote cohorts 3 and 4 which will take place in
Peterborough and Cambridge in 2024.
5
Innovate UK Updates
Howard Partridge:
- Region underapplies to the Innovate UK funding streams regionally.
- Innovate UK contact details will be supplied to help support the Horizon bids that may be considered
by regional businesses.
- Dame Otteline Leyser leading on events being hosted at Norwich Research Park to be announced soon.
- Adopting green tech into agri-food opportunity coming in October and November.
- Accelerating the green economy opportunity - https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/accelerating-the-
green-economy-centres/
- and alternative proteins
- Innovation Loans open - Competition overview - Innovate UK innovation loans future economy: round
11 - Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk)
- Farming innovation - £14m round open - Farming Innovation Programme: feasibility round three – UKRI
- GBIPs being offered to visit Canada around plant protein - Global Business Innovation Programme |
Innovate UK EDGE (ukri.org)
- BBRCs recruiting for 4 new roles too - https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/
- Innovate UK EDGE are recruiting people to ecosystem engagement leads to spend more time with
partners. In part to manage what is happening around devolution and transition and the long-term
business support landscape.
6
AOB
Ian Pease, OrbisEnergy & Suffolk County Council
- Freeport East funding opportunities, deadline 26 September: Opportunities (freeporteast.com)
- UKRI Connect: Transforming tomorrow together
When: Friday 20th October 2023
Time: 09:45 – 12:45
What: UKRI Connect: Transforming tomorrow together
Where: Norfolk's Community Hub | Football Pitch & Venue Hire | The Nest
Darry Newport, University of Suffolk
- This is another project we are working on - The world's first Ecological Digital Twin - Ofwat Innovation
Fund (challenges.org)
